New Zealand's leading yacht racing syndicate has joined with China's largest big boat regatta in a partnership that could help boost training and industry investment.
Emirates Team New Zealand, two-time holder of the prestigious America's Cup trophy. announced Thursday it had formed a partnership with the China Cup International regatta.
The partnership would strengthen cooperation in team sponsorship, personnel exchange visits, and youth sailing as well as exploring collaboration with technology importation, yacht trading and industry investment, said Emirates Team New Zealand officials.
The cooperation would benefit both organisations in enhancing both the Emirates Team New Zealand brand associated with the China Cup, the first and largest big boat regatta in China, and increasing awareness of the World Sailing-listed event within New Zealand.
"Part of what Emirates Team New Zealand is about is benefiting the marine industry and the sport of sailing as a whole," Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton said in a statement.
"China Cup is about attracting more people to sailing across the board from the youth, families and inshore and offshore sailing. So we are right behind the China Cup."
China Cup had accomplished a mission to establish a platform for sailing culture and technique exchange in China.
It planned to include annual inshore racing, biennial offshore racing, and global sailing to be held every four years, and this year, it planned to organize monthly racing.
"The cooperation with New Zealand proves to be rewarding, especially in youth sailing," China Cup chief operating officer Xiao Yu said in the statement.
"Wider cooperative space has been explored, including this partnership with Emirates Team New Zealand for the 35th America's Cup."
China Cup International Regatta, the only regatta directly named after China, was the first international big boat regatta in China, and has been successfully held for 10 years.
China Cup is held annually each October, and attracted 138 teams from 38 nations and regions to race in the 10th China Cup.
